Every June, 30,000 people gather throughout London to watch the Graduate Fashion Week events. The 26 shows hosted by a variety of both local and international universities and fashion schools display top fashion by students and alumni. Awards are offered within departments of footwear, accessories, communication, marketing, design and other categories. Accompanying the events are workshops with leading designers and brands. All-in-all, Graduate Fashion Week is a must-see event for both rising designers and established ones looking for fresh fresh faces and ideas in the industry. Featured below are some highlights of this year’s GFW along with award nominations:
Over 150 judges gathered to grant the awards for the 28th GFW. Brian McLysaght from Edinburgh College of Art walked away with three awards including the Christopher Bailey Gold Award. McLysaght’s collection was comprised entirely from biodegradable wood and was inspired by the 20th century decolonization period. On winning the award, McLysaght remarked, “It feels absolutely incredible to have won all of these awards, I’m so thankful. What really made me win these awards was the standard at Edinburgh, everybody in our class is so incredible, we hold each other to such exceptional standard. My classmates are really the people who got me here. In the future I hope to continue working in sustainable development, I’m very interested and ethics and sustainability that’s my design focus.”
Alexandra Fan-also from Edinburgh College of Art-won the Womenswear award. Regarding her award, judge Henry Holland commented, “From the minute I saw it I knew that it was going to be my favourite. It blew me away, was nothing like I had ever seen before. It felt like something that was actually new, inventive, intriguing. I wanted her section of the show to continue for longer, and then when we met her, seeing her research and development and hearing her story and her reference points and approach, it just re-enforced the idea that what she had done was revolutionary.”
Other awards were presented as well, namely the Clarks Footwear award, given to Keri Thompson from De Montfort University. Tu Sainsbury’s Scholarships were given to Josephine Roberts from Northumbria University and Michella Knight from Nottingham Trent University. The International Fashion Award sponsored by GAP Inc.was awarded to Ivy Lan from Savannah College of Art and Design Hong Kong. These award-winners have proven their success as designers and will predictably rise to become the “Talent of Tomorrow.”
Photos by Jade Berry https://www.jadeberryphotography.com/
